Blossoms
by illocutionary
Summary: AU. Inspired by a Chinese folktale; David fell in love with a young man who won't show his face.


**Blossoms**

There once was a handsome, thoughtful, and intelligent young man, Kurt Hu, who could sing sweeter than a lark. The only thing that marred him, however, was a gash running across his face, from his left temple and down the entire left side of his face, ending at his mouth. It was unsettling enough that people could not stare into his face for long without looking away, and he was often the subject for cruel and malicious jokes and gossip.

And so the young man lived his days in loneliness, sometimes going for days without speaking to anyone besides his father and his only friend, the city's matchmaker. Although she loved him as if he was family, she looked despairingly upon the city, and could not see a single person who could see past the scar and see Kurt for his true self.

* * *

><p>One day, a general arrived into the city to meet a retired scholar who had served under the Emperor. As he waited at the teahouse, he happened to see Kurt walk by, as people about him gaped and stared openly, whispering to each other in the most crass manner. David too, was captivated, but not for the same reason. Gazing upon Kurt's right side, he could only see the radiance and confidence this man exuded as he walked with his head held tall, resolutely ignoring the disparage. David stared until the man was out of sight, before shaking his head, and reprimanding himself for thinking such thoughts about another man. And yet he couldn't think of anything else, as he spent restless nights in bed, trying to forget the man, and made up more and more excuses to stay in the city, hoping to catch a glimpse of the man again. His patience paid off, when a waiter at the teahouse asked what why he spent entire afternoons sitting in the establishment, nervously tapping his foot as he scanned the crowds relentlessly with the most obsequious look on his face. The waiter told him that he must be trying to find Young Master Hu, who lived in one of the grand estates on the east side of the city. David quickly thanked the waiter, and hurried out of the teahouse, making a beeline towards the matchmaker.<p>

"Please!" he begged, flinging the doors open, unwittingly stumbling on a meeting between a betrothed couple, "I wish to marry Young Master Hu, if he will have me!"

Mercedes was about to tell this man to leave at once, and that he owed her a considerable sum for almost breaking her doors down, watching splinters of wood cascade down on her wooden floors, when he heard the desperation in his voice and his unwavering need to meet Kurt. She stepped forward, wary and cautious, "Young Master Hu comes from a wealthy family, and is wise beyond his years, but there is something that you must know about his face-"

"That it shines brighter than the sun? I know this already," David impatiently cut off, "the only thing I wish to hear is his own reply of whether or not he is willing to meet with me." The matchmaker sighed and said she will see what she can do.

* * *

><p>"Do you think he really meant it?"<p>

"I don't know," Mercedes admits, brushing more powder onto Kurt's face, trying to cover up the scar as best as she could, to little success, "but in any case, this might be good for you, to talk to someone else other than your father and I." Kurt all but vibrated in his seat, nervous and tense, staring hard into his reflection before grabbing the brush from Mercedes' hands and slamming it down on the table.

"Enough! My face is unsalvagable!"

"But what will you do-"

"I will wear a veil."

"I don't think it matters, he has already said that he has seen your face before..."

"Perhaps it was only a cursory glance; I've never known anyone who could talk to me without wanting to leave after ten minutes. If he insists on me taking it off, I will not speak to him at all!"

Mercedes presses her lips together, figuring it's best not to argue, and goes to fetch a bright yellow veil and drapes it over Kurt's head, covering his features. When they step out of the powder room and into the meeting room, David stands up in concern. "Is everything alright?"

"Fine, but the Young Master has said that in order to converse, he must wear the veil at all times, otherwise he will leave."

"Then keep it on," David smiles, and he waits for Kurt to be seated before sitting himself, and pouring oolong tea into Kurt's cup, "for I have already seen your beauty, and would be perfectly content to speak to you this way." Kurt's heart hammered away inside his chest, and he was glad that the veil covered his face, if only now because it would hide the deep crimson shade on his face.

And so they talked about politics, history, the arts, and poetry, and David was delighted to find that Kurt was charming, intelligent, and when prompted to sing, had crooned a melody so beautifully that David had to duck his head and wipe a few stray tears from his eyes. They kept up the meetings for more than four and a half months, until David finally asked for Kurt's hand. His request was answered with a resounding yes and they both called the matchmaker over, excited for the wedding preparations. David then visited Kurt's father, who readily agreed, his heart lightened by the fact that Kurt could find someone who was so blatantly head over heels for him, and was ready for the negotiations.

Mercedes, however, was less than pleased.

"What will you do now," she hissed, "you can not hide your face forever, especially now that he is to become your husband."

"You were the one who suggested that I talk to him!"

"I didn't know you would fancy him in the end!" Mercedes cried.

"Well I do," Kurt replied hotly, "he is bold and witty and all too handsome to believe. It is a wonder that he has fallen for me."

"A wonder indeed, that he picked a man with his head filled with rocks to marry! Oh, what if he decides to leave you, upon witnessing your scar?"

"He will do no such thing, do not speak of his character in such a way," Kurt snapped, but he couldn't deny to himself that he worried about this too.

* * *

><p>"So we heard you're going to marry Young Master Hu," sneered General Puck, "perhaps you should think of retiring from the battlefields, since it is evident that your eyesight is leaving you."<p>

David's eyes narrowed. "What is that supposed to mean."

"Maybe General Kao desperate enough to pick up broken merchandise," General James snickered behind his hand, to which David banged the table, upsetting all of the teacups and spilling the tea all over the table.

"Enough! I will not sit here and let you mongrels talk about my bethrothed as if he is a commodity!"

"Suit yourself, we are not the ones who are blind," Puck called out as the two of them strolled out, happy to be able to work Kao up into such a frenzy.

The last general stayed put, ducking down and helping David to pick up the shards. Embarrassed, David waved a hand, "I am sorry for the mess, I didn't-"

"It's all right, Kao," Chang spoke, with a half smile that twisted into a frown. "The young sir you are marrying has been looked down upon by this entire city. Please, do cherish him." And with that, he gave a curt bow and strode off, leaving David to his thoughts.

* * *

><p>The wedding was simple, but elegant, and though Kurt was still hidden beneath a red veil, it was customary, and David looked upon Kurt with such adoration, that Kurt nearly forgot exactly why he had a veil on in the first place. The ceremonies ended, and they both climbed into the sedan chair and made their way to the Kao estates. Once inside and properly seated, David quietly asked, "May I see your face now?"<p>

Kurt hesitated, but now with no reason to deny David, nodded. David pulls off the veil, and saw Kurt's face fully for the first time, just as handsome as the first time he saw him, though with the unsightly scar running down his face. David stared, and Kurt stared back, as if daring him to draw back in revulsion.

"Why did you do it?" David whispered.

Kurt broke, his steely mask crumbling. "I'm sorry for misleading you- but I had fallen in love and couldn't bear the thought of seeing you go-"

"No, I meant why did you cover your stunning face?"

Kurt stepped back, "Do you not see this wound? This-"

"Wonderful-"

"Hideous-"

"Breathtaking-"

"Terrifying-"

"Blessing-"

"Curse-"

"Kurt!" David cried, grabbing the man's face, "It is a part of you, and I love it as much as I love everything else about you."

"But it is ugly. Everyone has said so."

"Then everyone is a fool." David affirmed, with conviction that Kurt could not ignore, and he laughed in relief, and grabbed his husband into a searing kiss, smiling all the while.

* * *

><p>Hours later, as the sun filtered in through the windows, David awoke next to Kurt, pleasantly sore, and found Kurt awake too.<p>

"Good morning," David murmured, placing a quick kiss on his new husband's forehead, before drawing back slightly, his thumb tracing the scar.

"If you don't mind me asking, I was wondering how you received that mark."

Kurt sat up a little, holding onto David's arm, "My family was invited to a friend's home in another city, when I was small, and while playing in the gardens, a sharp stone struck me across the face."

David was suddenly alert, and grabbed onto both of Kurt's hands. "Did you know who did it?"

Kurt shook his head. "It came over the walls, so I did not see my assailant."

Suddenly David scrambled out of bed and crouched down by the bed, his head touching the floor.

"What's wrong?" Kurt shouted in alarm.

"It was me! I was the one who threw the stone! I was playing with a friend, throwing rocks to see if they would land into the pond, and one sailed over the wall. I didn't think much of it until during the ride home when my mother told me a boy my age was cut by a flying rock. I figured that I was to blame, but didn't say anything out of fear of being punished. But now my misdeeds have come back to haunt me. Please forgive me, I promise I will never bother you again, and will have our marriage properly annulled."

"Why!" Kurt cried, tugging at David's shoulder.

"I've made your life miserable!" David shouted, head still bowed, "Everyone in this city has turned against you for the worst of reasons for all these years, and it is all my fault."

"But you are the only one to see through all that and still love me for it," Kurt cried, "you can't leave me, I won't have it!"

"But I was the one..."

"You have more than made up for it!" Kurt shouted. And softer: "Please, accept my forgiveness, just as you have accepted everything else from me."

David looked up, eyes red-rimmed, and a wavery smile on his face. "But I must do something." And he padded out of the room and down the corridor, before quickly coming back with a inkwell and a few brushes. Dipping the brush in the ink, he gestured for Kurt to come closer, and with one smooth stroke, drew a thick line over Kurt's scar, tracing carefully. "I will show everyone exactly how beautiful you are, scar and all." And from that line, he painted more, branching off and the brushes becoming thinner and thinner before he stopped and pulled out a vial of pink ink, and with the most delicate of touches, began drawing blossoms on the very ends of the branches.

"This scar is the source of your tenacity and bravery, and spawning from it are all the very reasons you have become the man that I could not help but love." David smiled, as he packed away the inks and brushes, and took Kurt's hand.

And when the newlyweds stepped out from their estate and began strolling down the street, everyone stopped and stared, only this time, whispering to one another about how radiant Young Master Hu was. The face painting was quickly copied throughout the city by young girls, though it was just as quickly given up, for no one could match Kurt's breathtaking features, and it was impossible to replicate the talent, dexterity and love David had put in painting his husband's face. And in time, people began to realize just how charming, handsome, and intelligent Kurt was, just as David did.

It had then became a tradition, that every anniversary, David would paint something on Kurt's face, which would draw considerable crowds outside their home, clamoring for even a glance. But every anniversary night, as David gently wiped off the ink and pressed his lips against the scar, he sighed, "I like you like this most of all."

And so they spent their lives happy and healthy, together.

End.

Original story is _Willow Leaf Eyebrow_.


End file.
